


Mirrored

by BreakfastTea



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blood and Gore, Gen, Halloween 2019, Horror, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 22:51:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21260939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakfastTea/pseuds/BreakfastTea
Summary: An already disastrous hunt takes a worse turn when Noctis finds himself face to face with a creature from legend, a creature that can turn itself into anyone.





	Mirrored

**Author's Note:**

> *slides in before midnight* Happy Halloween!!!!!!

The mission wasn’t off to a good start. Actually, it was a disaster. Noctis and his friends intended to rescue a group of Hunters trapped in an abandoned city set between Old Lestallum and its younger namesake city. Instead, they’d run into a pack of partially daemonised Voretooths. They’d all been distracted by something, a feeling of being watched from the shadows of the derelict buildings around them. Only Noctis, fortunate enough to warp out of the way before a poison cloud took out his friends, emerged fully unscathed. He used a bottled spell to take out the Voretooth pack and summoned their chocobos to carry his friends back to the nearest haven. Once there, Noctis had created additional antidotes to stave off the worst effects, but it had taken hours for the other three to finally find peaceful rest. The sun had long since set for the day.

And something was still out there, prowling the edges of the haven. But whatever it was, it kept out of sight. Noctis had a bad feeling that whatever it was, it was the thing the Hunters were supposed to have killed.

Leaving the others sleeping in the tent, Noctis sat by the small fire, taking deep breaths to clear the scent of sweat and vomit from his mouth and nose. The chocobos slept around the haven too, beaks nestled under wings. Noctis longed to rest too. Except he couldn’t. Not with the mission outstanding.

And not with something dangerous so nearby. He heard it again, brush snapping beneath its feet. Noctis swung his light around. Nothing. What the hell was it? And why was it watching him?

The Hunters remained in danger every second Noctis failed to go after them. He wanted to stay with his friends, keep them safe. The louder, royally trained part of him knew he had a duty to attend to. His friends would be fine now; the numerous antidotes and plenty of sleep would see to that. Noctis had even left each with a bottle of water to drink when they woke up. Noctis had to get back to that abandoned city. Those Hunters were in there, and they would die if he didn’t reach them.

Noctis looked across the landscape, a shiver working through him despite the perfect temperature. He couldn’t shake the feeling something had its eyes on him. It’d followed him back from the abandoned city.

Was it paranoia? It couldn’t be a daemon; they’d walked the cracked and desolate streets in full daylight. So what –

Something crunched in the darkness ahead. A shadow moved against the trees. The chocobos startled. All four stood and took off before Noctis could grab them.

Something was out there. Watching. He heard movement again. Bushes shaking. Whatever was out there, whatever spooked the birds, was running away now.

Back to the abandoned city.

Noctis shook himself. He had to go after it. He glanced at the tent, knowing his friends were untouchable here. Daemons could tempt and taunt all they liked; they wouldn’t be able to set foot on the protected ground.

Noctis checked his friends. All sleeping, all peaceful. He slid back out of the tent, zipping it closed behind him.

A flash of light from the city.

Screams in the distance.

Gunshots.

“Help!” A deep, male voice screamed. “Somebody help us!”

It was close. Noctis ran to the edge of the haven, trying to see into the darkness. Nothing. Even the abandoned city was a mere blot against the stars.

“Please, if you’re out there! I need –” The voice cut out in a guttural groan.

Loyalty and duty clashed inside him. What Noctis wanted didn’t matter. He didn’t have a choice. He had to go. His friends wouldn’t even wake up before he returned. And if they did, sure they’d be pissed, but they’d get over it. He couldn’t leave those Hunters out there in danger.

Noctis headed out into the night, senses on high alert. The old abandoned city wasn’t far from the haven, so it didn’t take long for him to find himself in long-abandoned streets, passing by buildings nearly swallowed whole by nature. He didn’t dare call out; he might’ve managed to clear out one nest of poisonous Voretooths, but it was dark now and there were daemons out. He could hear them shuffling nearby. Or maybe it was what had spooked the chocobos. Whatever it was, Noctis had to be ready. And if he found the Hunters, at least he’d have backup on the return trip.

Dave said the Hunters were trapped in the old city hall, a large building at the end of the main street. Noctis could just about make out the roof against the starry night sky. He kept moving towards it, slowly, cautious, senses strained, hand ready to summon his weapon in a heartbeat.

There. Again. The feeling of eyes burning into him. Noctis tried to peer into the shadows. They didn’t let up, didn’t reveal anything.

Soft laughter echoed down the deserted street.

Footsteps. Running. Noctis caught sight of a shadow sprinting into the city hall. A Hunter? No way to tell without shouting out, and Noctis refused to do that.

Noctis reached the city hall. A shiver ran through him. He turned back, expecting to see a figure behind him. Instead, he saw the abandoned city, still and empty under the starlight.

Focusing on the mission, Noctis pushed the door open. His flashlight lit up a city hall that looked like the staff had left for the evening and forgotten to come back. Although, based on the dated technology, that evening had been over twenty years ago.

Walking on, something creaked in the shadows ahead. Shining his flashlight, Noctis saw a massive streak of blood splashed up the wall, handprints smearing it.

Noctis followed them to the body of a Hunter. He hurried to the man, hands reaching for a pulse. He didn’t need to. The body was too cold, too stiff. The man’s face remained locked in a look of confusion, his eyes milky. Bullet holes and stab marks riddled the corpse.

No daemon had done that. And this guy hadn’t been the one shouting for help. He’d been dead for too long.

“Murdered,” Noctis murmured.

He hadn’t expected that. And it only made the unease sharpen. If he was being watched, maybe it wasn’t a monster at all. Hunters weren’t always in it for the right reasons, and if he’d walked his friends into all that poisoning for some asshole who planned to murder them all…

Noctis grabbed the dead man’s dog tag and headed deeper into the city hall. The corridor split, one direction leading to restrooms, the other to conference rooms. It was by the restrooms where he found another trail of blood. This one ended in the women’s restroom, where Noctis found a survivor. She was pale and bloody under their combined flashlights. He rushed to her side, eyes scanning, ready to use a curative.

A potion. The only one he had left. Crap. He’d used everything else on his friends.

“Dave sent me,” Noctis said, keeping his voice low. Her wounds were… He had to fight to keep himself from throwing up. Her guts were in her lap. The stink went beyond revolting. She was rotting in front of him and she hadn’t died yet. His knees were in her blood, tacky and cold on his skin. She was past anything he could do. The potion couldn’t help a mortal wound, and a Phoenix Down, which he was out of anyway, would’ve only brought her back to continue her suffering. “You’re not alone.”

“You… you have to get out of here,” she gasped. Her voice was so thin, Noctis had to lean closer to hear her. “It’s too much. It’s too dangerous. It steals your voice when it takes your blood.”

“I heard a man shouting for help,” Noctis said.

“N-No. No man. Not anymore. Stole. Stole his voice. Creature. Lured you.”

A flicker of memory shot through Noctis at the words. He couldn’t waste time pinpointing it now. “What is it?” he asked.

The woman’s glazed eyes stared into the distance. “It made us kill each other. I thought… thought I was killing it… but I… it was… I shot him instead. Stabbed him.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t have long left. Noctis held her hand, hoping it was some small comfort. Her blood coated his hands. “We never should’ve come here.” She looked at him, the light fading from her eyes. “Are you even human?”

“I am,” Noctis said. He squeezed her hand to give her strength and comfort. “I swear I am. I didn’t get here soon enough.”

“You couldn’t have stopped it. Would’ve… would’ve killed you too.” The woman stared at him. “Leave. There’s no one left to help.”

“It was just the two of you?”

“Yeah,” the woman slumped, eyes closing. “Dead. We’re both – ”

She died, her shuddering body stilling. Gripped by the guilt of not getting there soo enough, Noctis slipped her dog tag off, dumping it in his pocket with the other one. He hated to leave her body like this, but if there was something dangerous still lurking nearby, he couldn’t risk cremating her. He closed her eyes, giving her torn body the illusion of peace.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, standing to leave. If he’d been lured here, he needed to get out before it was too late.

He turned.

A figure stood in the doorway. A sick jolt went through him at the sight of himself. That wasn’t… it couldn’t be…

The figure slipped into the light and Noctis saw it wasn’t some shadow version of himself at all.

It was something more impossible.

Because it was the dead woman.

She was in front of him.

And her body was behind him.

A slow smile oozed across the woman’s face. Her features crunched and shifted around her face Fear gurgled in Noctis’ gut. Prompto took a step closer. Noctis backed up a step, boot splashing into the dead woman’s blood.

It wasn’t Prompto. Couldn’t be. Because it wasn’t human.

It moved, a blade swinging through the air. Noctis reacted, summoning his sword to catch the blade. It wasn’t Prompto, but it looked like him, and Noctis couldn’t hurt his friend. He caught the attacker’s arced blade…

Except it wasn’t a blade. It was its arm, its hands elongated, nails like knives.

Noctis didn’t block them all. Some burrowed into his shoulder. Blood gushed forth, coating his chest and staining his shirt.

The fake Prompto’s claws latched on. Noctis tore himself free, the wound opening more. He staggered back, sword fading as it dropped from his grip.

Not Prompto.

A monster that had stolen his face.

But not his voice.

It shifted in front of Noctis, taking on Gladio’s image instead.

Noctis summoned a dagger in his left hand and swung it out.

The daemon caught it with one hand, the other held to its mouth, tongue licking the blood from its nails.

A memory stirred, deep down in his mind. He knew what this was. He couldn’t believe it’d survived. Noctis changed weapons again, pulling a gun from the Armiger. His head throbbed with a cry from Ramuh, ready to help.

“No, you don’t,” the fake said with his voice. Its form shifted again, changing from Gladio to Ignis. “I know what you are. Only one family has blood like this.” The creature kicked Noctis hard. “Lucian bastard! Your family slaughtered my kind. You hunted us down, tore us apart, when all we wanted was the right to live like anything else.” His voice. It used Noctis’ voice against him. “You will pay for their deaths. And I’ll make sure your name is cursed just as mine is.” The fake twisted its face into a monstrous leer. “I’ll make sure the people only remember you with horror and disgust. You’ll know what it’s like to be feared and hated.”

Noctis felt a terrible pain in his stomach. He looked down and saw another impossible sight.

The creature had sprouted another arm, and this one had stabbed itself into Noctis’ gut. It pulled back, blood and sinew tearing free. Noctis collapsed back, his landing soft and warm as he hit the dead woman’s body. Ramuh’s voice faded from his mind, strength bleeding out of him.

He looked up and watched the fake’s shape change until Noctis looked at a copy of himself. He tried to get up, but his hands slid in something hot and wet and he crashed back down.

The fake stepped back. “I’d best find your friends before it’s too late.”

“N-no. Leave them alone!”

“No.”

The fake’s boot connected with Noctis’ head, and everything went black.

* * *

Prompto woke up to a dry mouth and a headache. It was still dark, although soft light came from the lamp overhead. He felt strangely breathless, like something had shocked him awake. He listened, but everything was quiet. He slowly sat up, spotting the water bottle next to his sleeping bag. Noctis must have put it there. Grateful for his friend's thoughtfulness, Prompto grabbed it and drank had of it. He rubbed his stomach, his torso feeling stretched and bruised. He never, ever wanted to experience poisoning like that again. He’d never been so sick in his entire life, not even that time he’d caught the flu in high school.

Looking over, he saw Ignis and Gladio still sleeping. Noctis wasn't there. Prompto saw the tent was zipped shut. Noctis was probably outside, giving them all space to rest. Prompto thought about getting up, but he was so tired, so totally wrung out. The thought of standing, walking, made him shudder. No, he was safe. He slid back into his sleeping bag before he could stop himself, asleep again within seconds.

He awoke again to daylight. Ignis and Gladio were up, looking as washed out and rough as Prompto felt. Noctis still wasn't with them.

"Hey," Prompto said to the others. "How are you?" 

"On the mend," Ignis replied. He swept his hair back from his forehead. "And keen to never experience anything like that again."

"Puts Noct's poisoning incident into perspective," Gladio said

"Y'know one day you're gonna have to tell me the whole story," Prompto said. 

"Not today," Gladio said. "Might get a rerun of yesterday." He took a deep breath and rubbed his face. "Fuck,” he muttered. “That was bad." 

"I fear it may be too late for those Hunters if they were hit by this too," Ignis said. He frowned. "Where is Noct?"

"Outside?" Prompto asked, suddenly unsure. Because he'd only assumed, and wouldn't he have come back to the tent at the sound of them all awake? Unless he was asleep in a chair. That definitely sounded like Noct... 

Gladio swore. "I swear if he went after those hunters himself, he'll pay."

Ignis moved as fast as he could. The alarm in his expression set Prompto's alarms ringing. "He wouldn't," he said, wishing he didn't sound so uncertain.

"Yeah, he would," Gladio growled.

Ignis beat them out of the tent. Prompto followed next, nauseous all over again. 

It only got worse when he saw the empty haven ahead of them. Even the chocobos that had brought them to the haven were gone, likely returned to Wiz. "Oh no," Prompto breathed. "Where is he?" 

Gladio pushed past him. "Noct!" He bellowed. "Where are you?" 

"Here!" Noctis walked up to the haven's edge. He looked fine. Tired, maybe, but unharmed. "Sorry, thought I'd be back before you woke up." 

Prompto sighed in relief. "Where'd you go?" 

Noctis held something up. Dog tags. "It's too late," he said. "Those Hunters didn't make it."

“I can’t believe you went alone!” Gladio snarled.

Noctis stared at him. “I’m not helpless.”

“It was reckless,” Gladio snapped.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Noctis shot back.

"What killed them?" Ignis asked. Prompto breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t have the energy for a Noct/Gladio showdown right now.

"Not sure," Noctis said. "Something nasty. I didn't stay to find it. We should get out of here. Soon. We don't want it to find us."

"It was bad?" Gladio asked.

"The worst," Noctis replied.

Prompto tried to read past Noctis’ blank expression, but when his friend wanted to hide something, he hid it well.

"Then we should leave," Ignis said. "The three of us aren't well enough to be in a fight. We should retreat to sanctuary. It isn't far to Old Lestallum."

Noctis nodded. "Sounds good."

Gladio stepped up to Ignis' side. "Get up here and help us pack." 

Noctis shook his head. "I'll get you guys someplace safe then come back and grab it."

Prompto stared hopefully at the others. Gladio shrugged. Ignis sighed.

"Fine," Gladio said. "But we'll come back when we're all ready."

Whoa. Gladio and Ignis must be feeling just as crappy as Prompto if they were willing to leave their camping gear behind.

A smile flickered across Noctis' face. "Perfect. Come down and let's get out of here."

Gladio led the way back to the car. By the time they got there, Prompto was exhausted and ready to sleep again. Ignis and Gladio didn't look much better.

"I'll drive," Noctis said. "You should all rest while you can."

Prompto slid into the passenger seat. He saw Noctis staring back at the abandoned city one last time as Ignis and Gladio slumped into the back seats. "You couldn't have saved them," Prompto said.

"I know," Noctis said, back to Prompto and the others. "Just taking a moment to remember them."

A solemn mood hung over the car. Then Noctis turned to them, slid into the driver's seat and smiled. "Old Lestallum, huh? Sounds perfect.

The car roared to life before the engine dropped back into its steady hum. 

"Wake us when we arrive," Ignis said through a yawn.

"I will," Noctis said, pulling out of their parking spot. “Don’t worry.” 

Prompto was asleep within minutes.

* * *

_“Honestly, Noct, should I be concerned about this fascination you have with monsters?” Regis asked from the bedroom doorway, smiling at his son._

_“No way!” Noctis said, hands drumming on the book on his lap. He snuggled up to Dad, pulling his neatly tucked blankets askew. “You promised me a bedtime story and this is what I want.” He opened it to the pages on daemons, flipping past all the ones he’d heard about and coming to a stop on his latest fascination. “This one!”_

_“Let me see here.” Regis lifted the book. “Mimics? These are almost the stuff of legend. Our family worked hard to annihilate them.”_

_“Could they really change shape?” Noctis asked._

_“Absolutely, which was why they were so dangerous. That, and unlike full Daemons, fully capable of moving in the light. The Mimic is something caught between monster, daemon and human. Very, very rare, thankfully, but lethal. Imagine, Noct, coming face to face with someone you think you know, only it’s a monster in disguise.”_

_Noctis snuggled closer to Dad. “And there was no way to tell they weren’t who they pretended to be?” he asked, staring at the strange creature. _

_“Easier if they haven’t stolen a person’s voice. After that, however, I should think it’s very hard. Sometimes they would slip, not know things the real person would know. But a Mimic rarely plays games for long. Not unless it’s truly sadistic and determined to make people suffer.”_

_“Have you ever fought one?” Noctis asked, picturing a copy of Ignis hunting him across the Citadel. He shivered. Maybe the Mimic wasn’t so interesting after all._

_“No,” Regis said. “Fortunately not. As I said, our ancestors worked hard to eradicate them.”_

_Noctis stared at Dad. “But if you did?”_

_Regis nodded. “I would do what I must to protect myself and my people even if it pretended to be someone I knew.”_

_“They’re never friendly?” Noctis asked. _

_“Never.” Regis plucked the book out of Noctis’ hands and set it aside. “Now, how about something a little more cheerful? I think I have a story about a cheeky chocobo I could tell you.”_

Noctis stirred, his father’s words following him back into the waking world. Mimics weren’t friendly. No kidding. He pressed a hand to the stab wounds, the pain sluggish. At least he wasn’t bleeding anymore. He pulled the last curative – a Potion – out of the Armiger and used it, magic healing him enough to get him upright and moving. His boots skidded in the blood, his head spinning from the loss. Rot tainted every breath he took. He shuddered between too hot and too cold. Shit. Fever. Infection.

He’d worry about it later. He needed to get out, and he needed to do it fast. Sunlight shone through broken glass, sparkling off the shards littering the ground. He’d been out for hours. His friends might already be…

No. They’d be alright. He just had to get to them, and that meant he had to move fast before anything went wrong.

Noctis made it out of the city hall and back onto the wrecked street beyond. Birds raced in and out of the derelict buildings. A few wild anaks grazed nearby, but he avoided them. He did not have the time for a fight. Not with his friends in danger.

The haven’s smoke curled into the sky. Noctis locked his eyes on it and plodded on, ignoring the pain and the dizziness and the hot and cold shivers working through him. He just had to get to the haven. His friends would still be there, and that bastard Mimic would get what was coming to it, courtesy of Noctis and Ramuh. The Astral rumbled at the very back of Noctis’ mind, angry at being denied a Summon last night. Noctis tried not to let Ramuh’s frustration become his own. He was anxious enough.

At least the Mimic couldn’t set foot on the haven’s hallowed ground.

Except that wouldn’t matter if it lured them away.

Fear drove Noctis onwards. It wouldn’t. It couldn’t. They’d be there. They were sick, resting, sleeping… They wouldn’t leave with the Mimic.

…Except it’d stolen his voice. They wouldn’t be able to tell.

Noctis broke out of the bushes and found the haven. Everything was there, just as he’d left it. He hurried up the path, not caring how much it hurt to move so fast.

He turned to the tent.

Saw the flap open wide.

Empty. The others were gone.

Hope stole Noctis’ strength. He crashed to his knees, wounds screaming out. His vision blacked out, and the next thing he knew he was on his side, staring into the abandoned tent.

His friends were gone. They’d left with the Mimic.

He had to find them. Stop them. Save them.

Noctis pulled his phone out. He could call, warn them…

Except what if they were with the Mimic? It would know he was onto them. It would kill them…

Hot wet blood rolled down his stomach. He’d torn the wound open. Noctis put a hand against it. He needed to heal it, but he didn’t have the energy to use magic right now, especially not his uncontrolled style. He’d used his last curative in the abandoned city… But if he didn’t stop the bleeding…

Drastic times meant field medicine. Nasty, ugly, desperate field medicine.

Noctis pulled out a Magic Flask, one loaded with a low-level Fire spell. He’d kept this secret, mostly because he wasn’t sure how to explain to anyone that no, he’d never actually _tried _this before, but he’d done plenty of research and knew from his ancestors that it could be done. Once his magic went into a flask, it no longer recognised him. If he used it, it would hurt him like it would hurt anything he wanted to attack.

Except right now, fire was the only thing that could seal this wound.

Hands shaking, stomach churning, Noctis prised the lid off the bottle. He didn’t wait. He tipped the Fire spell onto his own body.

Fire scalded and sealed his skin, the stench of cooked meat filling Noctis’ mouth and nose. He dropped the flask, twisted to the side and threw up. Pain screamed through him. He tried to stay conscious…

Noctis came to under the burning sun. Sweat glued his clothes and hair to him. How long had he been out? Pain echoed through him, his heart slamming against his ribs, the dizziness worse than ever. He couldn’t let it beat him. He pulled his phone free, eyes too blurry to make out the screen. Who should he call?

Then it hit him.

Cor. He needed to call Cor.

Noctis blinked the sweat and blur out of his eyes and called Cor.

“Noctis, I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

“Cor.” His voice croaked out, worn by pain. “I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I say.”

“What’s happened?”

“I don’t have time. The others… There’s no time.” It was hard to focus with everything spinning and he felt so light-headed and thirsty and hot but cold and…

“Noctis! Focus!” Cor barked. “Talk to me. What’s happened?”

“Mimic,” Noctis spat out. “It’s led the others away. I don’t know where. I can’t call them. It’ll know I’m not dead.”

“You need me to call and find out where they’re going without giving away the truth?”

Thank goodness Cor was on Noctis’ wavelength. “Yeah. I gotta go after them.”

“You don’t sound like you’re in any condition to –”

“Cor. Call Ignis. Then call me back. There’s no time.”

“Alright. Stay where you are.”

The call ended. Noctis forced himself to sit up. The dizziness squeezed his skull, but he dragged himself over to the cooler and pulled out a bottle of water. He chugged the whole thing and waited for Cor to call back.

* * *

Something buzzed in his pocket, stirring him from sleep. Ignis awoke, feeling sluggish. He realised it was his phone and he moved to pick it up. Clearing his throat, Ignis answered the call without glancing at the name on the screen. “Hello?”

“Ignis?”

He felt his spine attempt to straight. “Marshal. How are you?”

“Well, thank you. I hope I haven’t disturbed you.”

“Apologies. We were caught up with a rather nasty poison attack yesterday. Noct took care of us. He’s driving us into town right now. Better to be near civilisation while we recover.”

“A wise move,” Cor said. “Which town? I could see if there’s a doctor there to see you.”

“Old Lestallum, but please, don’t trouble yourself. Noct took good care of us and we’re all feeling better. Nothing a day of rest won’t fully cure.”

“Alright, if you’re sure. Don’t take on any hunts until you’re ready.”

Ignis felt himself smile. It felt nice to have someone else issuing orders for once. “We won’t, you have my word.”

“Good.”

“And tell the prince to drive sensibly. I remember what he’s like.”

“Noct is demonstrating impeccable skill,” Ignis said. “But Marshal, why did you call, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Oh. I was going to ask you to take on a hunt over here in Leide, but I’ll pass it onto Dave. Even if you weren’t recovering, you’re all too far away.”

“Of course. Apologies.”

“Don’t apologise for something you can’t help,” Cor said. “Stay safe. Rest well. And stay put for a while. I don’t want to hear tales of you boys getting injured because you went out there before you’re ready.”

“Understood.”

The call ended.

“Who was that?” Noctis asked without taking his eyes off the road ahead.

Ignis fought back a yawn. “The Marshal. He had a hunt for us, but I turned it down. Or, rather, he turned it down for us.” He glanced at Prompto and Gladio, but neither were awake. “Are you alright, or would you like me to drive?”

“I’m fine,” Noctis said. “We’re almost there. You should get some more sleep. You’re gonna need it.”

Ignis found, to his dismay, that he couldn’t really say no. He was asleep again within moments.

* * *

The sound of his phone dragged Noctis out of his daze. He answered the call. “Yeah?”

“Old Lestallum,” Cor said. “They haven’t arrived yet, so you’ve got time to catch up.”

“Great. Thank you.”

“I’ll meet you there. You’ll have to get there first, but I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

“Thanks, Cor.”

“You said it’s a Mimic, right?”

“Yeah,” Noctis said. “Did Ignis sound alright?”

“He thinks he’s with you.”

And still alive. That was what mattered. “I’ll call as soon as I’ve dealt with it.”

“Be careful,” Cor said. “It won’t go down without a fight.”

Noctis thought of Ramuh bellowing in his head. The sky overhead rapidly clouded over, a storm gathering. “Yeah, it will.”

He ended the call and dragged himself to his feet. He dug the Chocobo Whistle out and summoned his bird. The poor thing was still uneasy. Noctis pressed his forehead to the bird’s.

“Please,” he said. “I have to go after my friends and you’re the only one who can help.”

The chocobo settled. Noctis breathed out. Now all he had to do was ride it to Old Lestallum, not fall off, and slaughter that Mimic before anyone else got hurt.

The chocobo crouched, making it easier for Noctis to pull himself onto its back. His wounds might not be bleeding anymore, but the burns hurt like hell. He cooled them as best he could with another bottle of water, but he didn’t have time to worry about them. He nudged the chocobo and they took off, heading towards Old Lestallum.

He had to make it on time. Had to. He didn’t care how much it hurt or what the cost would be. He urged the chocobo to run at top speed as they cut across country. They had to reach Old Lestallum before it was too late.

* * *

Gladio awoke to the sights and smells of Old Lestallum, albeit the sights and smells accompanied by a dark, heavy thunderstorm. Rain pummelled the car, lightning flashes casting everything in harsh white light. Had Noctis Summoned Ramuh? Struggling to wake up, Gladio looked around and saw that Ignis and Prompto slept on. They’d really taken a nasty hit yesterday. Gladio felt like he’d been asleep for hours. And Noctis was…

Where the hell was he?

A scream grabbed his attention. Gladio was out of the car in an instant, the pain in his body forgotten. His eyes tracked to a large group standing in the middle of the street, staring at…

Staring at…

A woman, bloodied and unconscious, on the soaking ground.

Gladio ran over as fast as his body allowed. “What happened?” He crouched down at the woman’s side. He didn’t find a pulse. He rolled her onto her back and realised no amount of CPR would save her when her throat had been torn out. He looked at the gathered crowd. “What did this?”

“He came out of nowhere,” a man said, his voice shaking. “Dressed in black. He… He just… He _killed _her!” He staggered away, noisily sick.

A deep, dark fear took root in Gladio’s heart. “Where did he go?”

The crowd pointed to the diner. Gladio looked and watched people come running out, screaming in terror, some of them bloodstained, clutching horrific wounds. Rain smeared the blood over their bodies, their clothes. It was a nightmare come to life.

“I can help!” A woman stepped forward. “I’m a doctor.”

Gladio grabbed her and pointed her to the car. “There are two men in there. Wake them up and tell them what’s happening. They can help you.”

She nodded. “Yes.” She looked at the crowd. “Bring the injured to me!” She led them away.

Gladio sprinted to the diner and stepped into the dim interior.

Blood marred the countertop. Lights swung from their fixtures. The only sound came from the storm outside and the steady drip, drip, drip of blood falling from the booths.

“You finally woke up then.”

Gladio found Noctis sat at the very back of the diner, shadows hanging over him. They weren’t dark enough to hide the blood staining Noctis’ skin.

Or an old man’s broken body on the table in front of him.

“I’ve been waiting,” Noctis said. He eyed the fingers on one hand, blood glistening in the lightning. His tongue crept over one finger, a look of pleasure rippling across his face. “I’m patient. I don’t need to make this fast.”

“What the fuck have you done?” Gladio growled. He couldn’t be sure the old man was dead, but if all the blood came from him… “Noct, what is this?”

Noctis laughed, the sound strange and high-pitched. It didn’t sound anything like he usually did. “What does it look like to you?”

“You can’t have…”

“What? Killed this old man and that woman out there? Tried to kill every other person in here? Well, I haven’t gotten to the second part yet, but I will once you’re out of my way.”

This wasn’t real. This wasn’t happening. It was a dream, brought on by the poisoning. Gladio shook his head. “No. This isn’t right.” Noctis wouldn’t do this.

“It isn’t exactly hard,” Noctis said. He prodded the corpse in front of him. “Pathetic, really. Humans are so weak.”

And if this wasn’t a dream but instead cold, brutal reality, then something must’ve happened in the abandoned city. Gladio stepped forward, not knowing what to do but knowing in his gut he had to do something. Noctis couldn’t be allowed to kill. If he was a threat, Gladio had to stop him. Knock him out until they could figure out what had happened.

Noctis stood to meet him. Another flash of lightning cast him in jagged shadows, the light catching in his blank, dead eyes. It took everything Gladio had in him not to back up a step. He might’ve been born to protect Noctis at all costs, but this…

This wasn’t right.

Thunder and lightning smashed in the sky overhead.

“That’s getting annoying,” Noctis said.

“Sounds like you’ve pissed Ramuh off,” Gladio said, trying for levity, for anything, that might bring the proper Noctis back.

“That old Astral huh? You really think he’d bother with the likes of me? He never cared before.”

Gladio frowned. What the hell was Noctis talking about?

Noctis took another step forward. He reached out for Gladio with a bloodied hand, fingers bent into a claw. Gladio batted him away. Noctis glared at him.

“You’re not going to survive this,” Noctis hissed. “Not you, not the others. And then I’ll make sure every pathetic little human nearby dies a horrible, screaming death. That’s what you all deserve. That’s what he deserves.”

Noctis threw himself at Gladio, hands lashing out. Gladio’s shield appeared in his hand, blocking Noctis’ attack. He waited for Noctis to warp, to reappear behind him.

He didn’t, and that threw Gladio off even more. Noctis just smashed the shield harder, the sound like metal on metal. No grace, no speed; just an unrelenting blitz attack. Gladio put all his strength into shoving Noctis back. He heard Noctis crash into the ground. Shield fading, Gladio looked down.

“Idiot.” Noctis lashed out, hand raking across Gladio’s chest. Blood sprayed through the air. “So naïve. So trusting. It’ll get you killed.”

Gladio summoned his shield again to block the next attack. Footsteps clattered behind him. “Gladio!” It was Ignis.

“Get back!” Gladio shouted. “Noct’s not himself!”

A shadow fell over Gladio. He looked up in time to see Noctis leaping over his shield, his fist punching out. Gladio dismissed the shield, ducked and rolled towards the back of the diner, putting Noctis directly between himself and Ignis.

“Ignis!” Noctis cried out. “Something’s wrong with Gladio! He’s attacking me. I think it’s the poison screwing with his head! Help me!”

Ignis looked completely lost. Gladio grabbed Noctis from behind, pinning his arms to his side. “Ignis, you need to trust me. Look at the blood! You have to knock him out!”

“No!” Noctis struggled to break Gladio’s hold. “You have to help me, Ignis! Gladio’s lost his mind! He killed that man!”

Lightning flashed again, thunder chasing it. Noctis flinched against the noise. Gladio took the opportunity to smash his elbow into the back of his head. He crashed to the floor, unconscious.

“Gladio!” Ignis cried out.

“Something’s wrong with him,” Gladio said. “He’s not… I dunno what’s wrong with him, but whatever it is, it’s not good. He attacked… murdered… two people.”

“Prompto’s helping the doctor with the injured,” Ignis said, stepping up to Noctis. He tapped his glasses up his nose. “We should restrain him. Before he can do more harm.”

A laugh went out. Noctis’ body twisted in an impossible way, head turning all the way back, bones and joints popping in and out of place. His face twisted in a maniacal grin as his impossibly long arm lashed out, sending Gladio crashing through the diner window, prompting cries from the crowd outside.

Ignis watched on in utter disbelief. This wasn’t possible. No, worse.

This wasn’t Noctis.

So where on Eos was the real Noctis?

The fake flipped to his feet, a jagged smirk elongating his face past human limits. “I’ll destroy you all.”

Ignis summoned his daggers. “You’re not human.”

“Who’d want to be?”

“Where is Noctis?” Ignis demanded.

The fake stepped closer. “Dead, like the rest of his family. Like the rest of mine. Just as he should be.”

Ignis shook his head. “He isn’t.” If he was, their weapons would be out of reach.

“He will be soon enough then,” the fake said. “I tore a few holes in him. And now it’s your turn.”

Ignis didn’t have a chance to respond. The fake swung at him, catching him in the ribs. Ignis flew through the air, crashing into the shelves behind the counter.

“Ignis!” Prompto came running in. “Noct, what are you doing?!”

“Everyone wants to play!” the fake crowed.

“Get back!” Ignis gasped. “That isn’t Noct. Get to Gladio. Make sure he’s –”

The fake landed at Ignis’ side. It stared at its clawed fingers. Ignis swung his blades around, barely catching the attack before the fake could stab him.

“Noct, stop!” Prompto shouted.

The fake turned to him. “Shut up.” It leapt away from Ignis and hit Prompto. Ignis heard the terrible sound of Prompto’s body hitting the ground.

Ignis struggled to his feet and watched the fake slash through Prompto’s clothing, blood arcing through the air. Ignis moved, but Gladio was there first, bloodied and covered in shattered glass. He grabbed the fake and threw it out of the diner.

“Help him!” Gladio ordered Ignis.

Ignis didn’t need to be told. He grabbed a napkin dispenser and ran to Prompto’s side. Prompto stared up at him, skin already pale from the terrible blood loss. “Wh-what’s happening?” Prompto wheezed.

Ignis pressed wads of napkins against the ragged wounds on Prompto’s chest. He ignored Prompto’s pained cries. “I don’t know, but that creature isn’t Noct,” Ignis said.

Another blast of lightning blinded him momentarily. And then, from outside, came a terrible laugh.

“Oh, look at that, not dead after all!”

* * *

Thunder, lightning and rain kept Noctis from passing out on the race across country to Old Lestallum. He went beyond pain, beyond exhaustion. His chocobo never faltered as it raced across country.

He heard the screams when he reached the town’s edge. Noctis’ vision tunnelled when he saw the creature. It stood outside the diner, its massive, distorted hands gripping Gladio’s throat. Noctis heard the angry roar of Ramuh in his head, but Noctis couldn’t let the Astral loose. Not yet. Not until he’d ripped that monster away from his friend.

Beyond feeling anything, Noctis leapt off his chocobo’s back and warped into the Mimic, breaking its hold on Gladio. Noctis shoved the Mimic away from his friend. It wasn’t going to hurt anyone ever again.

“Oh, look at that!” it crowed. “Not dead after all.” Its eyes ran over his body. “Not yet anyway.”

Beyond words, Noctis summoned his sword and put all his strength into the blow. It pierced the Mimic, pinning it to the ground.

It didn’t hold for long. The creature’s torso morphed around it.

“You won’t kill me,” the Mimic hissed, still using Noctis’ voice and face. “I won’t be killed by the likes of you!”

Lightning gathered around Noctis, massive forks piercing the ground around him. The Mimic finally looked scared. As it should. Power filled Noctis. Ramuh would wait no longer, and Noctis had no intention of holding him back, not after he’d been thwarted before.

Another lightning blast stopped the Mimic from running away. “I warned you,” Noctis hissed, Ramuh towering over him. “I said ‘leave them alone.’ And you didn’t. So now you pay. You pay for every life you’ve taken.”

The Mimic held out Noctis’ stolen hand. “No, wait, don’t!”

Noctis and Ramuh were finished waiting. The sky turned black as thunder and lightning roared out of the sky at their command. It skewered the Mimic. Noctis watched, dispassionate, as its body wreathed and shifted from shape to shape, even while burns ate through its flesh. Its screams tore through his mind, shifting voices; his, a woman’s, a child’s, a baby’s terrified wailing. Noctis ignored it all. He gave Ramuh permission to burn the Mimic to a cinder.

And then watched the ashes drifted away in the wind.

The ground crackled with the aftermath of so much raw magic. Ramuh bowed to Noctis. Noctis gave the Astral a nod of thanks. He didn’t waste a moment, Summoning Carbuncle to his aid. The little Astral looked up at him. “Heal them,” Noctis said. “Heal everyone. Please. Don’t let anyone else die.”

Carbuncle nodded and danced away, ruby light flashing as magic cured Gladio, Ignis, Prompto and the wounded civilians. He felt the magic wash over him, knitting the wounds hidden beneath the burns.

Noctis became aware of the rain. It bounced off his skin, the roar of it filling his ears. He blinked, the world moving slowly around him. He saw the bodies. He saw the terrified civilians. He watched his friends walking towards him, cautious, nervous, like maybe they were wrong and Noctis would murder them all in a heartbeat.

A musical chime dragged his eyes down to Carbuncle.

“Thank you,” he said.

Carbuncle chirped.

“Noct!” The others came running over, surrounding him.

“You’re all alright?” Noctis said.

“We’re…” Gladio’s words failed him.

“Nothing like that will ever happen again,” Noctis said.

“What did just happen?” Prompto asked. He patted his chest. “I thought I was a gonna.”

Another chirp. Noctis fell to his knees and scooped Carbuncle into his arms. Exhaustion sang through his body, dragging him down, begging for sleep.

His friends cried out in shock and dismay. They couldn’t see Carbuncle after all. Rain bathed Noctis, heat leaching from his skin. His friends were safe. The Mimic was dead. Noctis shivered, sleep consuming him. His eyes slid shut.

The rain followed him into his dreams.

* * *

Gladio stood over Noctis as Ignis and Prompto checked him over. He had to be ready. If any of these people thought about starting trouble, it wouldn’t end well for them. Noctis had saved them. They had to know that. They couldn’t confuse him with the creature that had stolen his body.

“Stay back,” Gladio ordered them.

One pushed through. It was the doctor from before.

“Come with me,” she said. “Bring him to my clinic. He can rest there.”

“Your other patients?” Gladio asked.

“I have no other patients now,” she said. “Look. They’re all fine.”

And that was when Gladio realised people weren’t looking on in anger or hate. They looked on in relief, their lives saved even if they didn’t really get what had just happened. Gladio relaxed. He stepped aside to let the doctor through. She crouched down and checked Noctis over, lifting his t-shirt and revealing a terrible burn. Gladio hissed at the sight of it. “What the fuck, Noct?”

“He sealed an injury,” the doctor said. She shifted his t-shirt higher. “Make that two.” She looked to Gladio. “Carry him to my office. Now.”

By the time they settled Noctis on the bed in her tiny office, the storm clouds cleared. Ramuh’s work was finished. The doctor ordered Gladio and the others out of the room. “I need space.”

They retreated to the waiting room. Gladio paced while Ignis and Prompto both sank into chairs. Gladio still felt the lingering effects of the poison, so he knew they did to. Noctis had summoned Carbuncle to heal their more obvious wounds, but that kind of magic did nothing for sickness. Gladio resisted the urge to sit. He might not get back up. They could rest once they knew Noctis was going to be alright.

And he would be.

“I can’t believe we didn’t realise he wasn’t Noct,” Prompto said.

“We were hardly at our best,” Ignis said. “That creature exploited a weakness.”

“What the hell was it?” Gladio asked.

“I don’t know,” Ignis admitted.

“And how did Noct find us?” Prompto asked.

Ignis jolted so sharply Gladio thought he’d launch out of the chair. Instead, Ignis pulled his phone from his pocket, hit a few icons, set it to speaker, and held it out.

“Hello?” Cor answered.

“Cor! It’s Noct. He –”

“He made it in time?” Cor cut Ignis off.

“Yes. The creature –”

“A Mimic,” Cor said. “Very rare. Very dangerous.”

“Very dead now,” Gladio said. “Noct took care of it.”

“Good. I’m on my way. How is he?”

“Injured but alive,” Ignis said.

“And the three of you?”

“Fine,” Ignis said.

“I doubt that,” Cor said.

“Exhausted, sir,” Prompto piped up.

“Alright. Stay where you are until I get there.”

“Sir,” they chorused.

The call ended. Ignis tucked the phone away and rubbed his eyes. Prompto let out a huge breath and sank into the chair. Gladio resumed pacing, not saying what he knew they were all thinking.

Cor would be here soon. Cor could take over for a while.

Gladio let himself sit down. Bad idea; he couldn’t fight sleep. He jolted awake when he heard a door opening. The doctor came out, smiling. She held out her hands to keep them all in their seats. “He’s going to be alright. Probably going to be extremely sore, but I’ve treated the burns and he’s sleeping. He’s had painkillers, there’s an IV rehydrating him too, and he has a fever so I gave him antibiotics. You can’t all stay, but if one of you wants to sit with him, there’s space for that.”

“Can I stay?” Prompto asked.

Gladio smiled. He had to hand it to the kid – he was always the quickest of them all. “Sure. Ignis and I will wait out here for Cor.”

Prompto nodded and followed the doctor. The door closed. Gladio looked over at Ignis. “You okay?” he asked.

Ignis took a deep breath. “I will be once I can speak with Noct.”

“You mean apologise.”

A brief smile flickered across Ignis’ face. “Indeed.”

* * *

“Noctis. Wake up.”

The gruff voice had Noctis jerking upright. Hands caught him before he could fall.

“No, wake up. Not get up,” the voice sounded amused.

Sluggish pain moved through Noctis, telling him he was on a hefty dose of painkillers. He forced himself to follow the arms back to their owner. “Cor?”

“At your service,” Cor said. He guided Noctis back down to the pillows. “It looks like you were on time.”

“The others?” Noctis asked.

“Resting. Two in the motel, one over there in the corner.”

Noctis peered around Cor and saw Prompto curled up into the corner, like he wanted to make himself as tiny as possible to keep out of the way. Noctis smiled at the sight. “They’re okay?”

“Worried about you and feeling awful about the mix up, but unhurt. Recovering, I should say.”

“Good,” Noctis said.

“The doctor said you must’ve used something incredibly hot to seal the stab wounds.”

Noctis nodded. “Magic.”

Cor looked at him. “You learn that one from the Kingsglaive?”

“No. They wouldn’t need to worry when they can just use Cure. I figured it out years ago. Never really thought I’d have to do it.”

“I see,” Cor said. There was a hint of pride in his voice. “Whatever it takes?”

“Whatever it takes.” Noctis carefully ran his hands over the bandages. The scars hurt beneath. Yeah, that was going to suck once the painkillers wore off. Still, it could be worse. If Carbuncle hadn’t healed the deeper damage, he’d be looking at serious internal injuries. “The Mimic had to be stopped. Dad was right. It wasn’t friendly.”

“No, I don’t suppose it was.” Cor sat back. “Get some more rest. Prompto and I will get you to the motel once he wakes up.”

Noctis closed his eyes. “You don’t have to stay.”

Cor didn’t answer.

Noctis fell asleep under his steely gaze.

* * *

Cor and Prompto helped Noctis shuffle out of the doctor’s office later that evening, wrapping him in borrowed blankets to hide his mostly unclothed body. Noctis knew he should’ve outgrown the shyness by now, but the scar on his back wouldn’t allow it. Plus the bandages over his burns made him stand out even more. The doctor told him to avoid irritating them with clothing for as long as possible. Cor and Prompto kept him in a straight line, the doctor having dosed him one last time before letting him loose.

“You must be a lousy drunk,” Prompto said.

“He is,” Cor said.

“Oooh, right, the infamous drunken antics of a sixteen-year-old Noct!” Prompto said. “How could I forget that?”

“I wish you would,” Noctis muttered.

They reached the motel where Ignis and Gladio waited. Neither looked like they’d slept, making way for Noctis when he and his entourage entered.

“Noct, I cannot apologise enough for mistaking you for that creature,” Ignis said, plumping pillows and helping Noctis settle on the bed closest to the bathroom.

“None of us were prepared to deal with a Mimic,” Noctis said, settling himself and breathing deep, hoping that would make the ceiling settle. Weariness clung to him, his body struggling to cope after everything he’d put it through. Two Summons on top of everything else was a bit extreme.

But necessary.

Whatever it takes.

“What’s a Mimic?” Prompto asked.

“Something between a human, a monster and a daemon,” Noctis said. “I think that one was the last of its kind.”

“Oh,” Prompto said. “That’s… it’s a little sad.”

“Sad, are you insane? That thing wanted us all dead,” Gladio said.

“I know,” Prompto said. “Still, it’s sad it had to go down like that.”

“Ever compassionate,” Ignis said.

Prompto blushed.

“I don’t want to hear anymore apologies,” Noctis said. “I’m the one who went after those Hunters alone. It found me, it copied me.” And people were dead because of that. “If it had happened to anyone else, I wouldn’t have noticed either. Just don’t feel guilty, alright?” He had enough guilt of his own to cope with.

“I’ll try,” Ignis said.

“Me too,” Prompto said.

Gladio just nodded.

“Perhaps it would be prudent for you to keep more curatives on hand so you don’t have to resort to such desperate measures again,” Cor said.

“I’ll make some soon,” Noctis said.

“I can’t believe you used your own magic like that,” Prompto said. “Bad. Ass.”

Noctis felt a blush add to the heat of his lingering fever.

“Yes, quite ingenious,” Ignis said. “Please don’t ever do it again.”

“I don’t intend to,” Noctis said.

“I think the four of you should rest for now,” Cor said. “Everything else can wait until you’re all better.” Arms folded, he looked down at the four. “Consider it an order.”

“You’re ordering us to bed?” Noctis asked.

“Yes.”

Noctis settled with a smile. “Done.”

He watched Cor glare at the others until they too retreated to the beds. Prompto shared with Noctis. “D’you think he’ll tell us a bedtime story?” Prompto whispered.

Noctis snorted.

“Something funny?” Cor asked.

“Prompto wants a bedtime story,” Noctis said.

“Wha – Noct!”

Noctis could feel Prompto’s blush radiating against his skin. Eyes closed, he grinned. “Nothing scary though,” he said.

To Noctis’ amusement, Cor actually came up with a story about a time he’d saved a puppy only to discover it was a baby Voretooth. Surrounded by his friends, all safe, all alive, Noctis fell asleep.

And if the Mimic’s victims haunted his dreams, well, that was just another secret Noctis could keep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you soooooo much for reading! Mimics are from Final Fantasy but usually they just pretend to be treasure chests. I decided to mess around with the idea a bit ;)
> 
> As always, y'a'll can find me on [Tumblr](https://breakfastteatime.tumblr.com/). Happy to answer an Ask or two ;)


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